


Bringing the Winter

by gladheonsleeps



Series: the garden [1]
Category: Thor (Movies)
Genre: Allfather!Thor, Aromantic!Loki, BAMF Darcy Lewis, Explicit Language, F/M, Let him live, Major alternate universe, Odin is dead, Volva mischief, Witch!Darcy, aromantic!Darcy, because he uses his brain, friendship and sex can be good, future!darcy week, he just wants to read, he's in a relatively chill phase of his life, no chapters I'm so sorry, no chapters we scroll like men, ooc Loki, prompt: heir, prompt: over 35 darcy lewis, topsy turvy hades/persephone myth, weather witch!darcy, yay, yggdrasil does a thing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-18
Updated: 2017-01-18
Packaged: 2018-09-18 10:00:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,413
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9379526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gladheonsleeps/pseuds/gladheonsleeps
Summary: the Norns decide that while Loki is serving out his punishment as Governor in Hel, a little change in scenery might lead the god of mischief into a fortuitous friendship indeed.or, Darcy is a weather witch and a garden controls the universe. or the bees. or something.





	

**Author's Note:**

> ok so I started writing this about five or six months ago, prompted by [this post](http://hawk-and-handsaw.tumblr.com/post/69317753644/reverse-hadespersephone-where-the-young-daughter) about an upside down hades/persephone tale. obviously as I tend to it drifted away from that a little bit but I have to say I quite like where it ended up. As with all tales that need magical worldbuilding I'm sure an extra 100k words wouldn't have gone astray in making this far better but my brain is doing a thing and so we have this lil tale here...though as with all my stories, the chances of a follow up are pretty fucking high. you know it. I know it.
> 
> any way, I really hope you like it. 
> 
> oh ps// this story happily fit into usedkarma's prompts for day 4 of future!darcy week (which is such an awesome idea? she's so smart?) anyway this fits into the 'heir' and 'stranded' categories with absolutely zero tweeking and though it's just passed midnight here I'm sure it's still Wednesday somewhere. hope you enjoy it, and make sure you check out [this](https://www.tumblr.com/search/future!darcy+week) tag on tumblr for more awesome future!darcy works from talented darcylanders.

Loki crept along the pathway quietly, the chaos of the void distracting him not at all as he walked along this branch of Yggdrasil which had opened to him after so many years without travel. To his estimation he had been travelling for three of helheim’s days since the doorway had opened mysteriously in his office and he had been simply unable to resist the urge to follow it and see where it lead. He was smarter than that of course, but intelligence unfortunately spoke noting of impulse control.

He felt the frigid breeze one could only experience between the boughs of the great tree; it swept his hair up in its frozen hands and toyed with it playfully. Eyes closed in relief; Loki took a deep breath and smiled. Freedom. Finally.

Not that ruling the realm of the dead was particularly terrible, as far as punishments went. He’d been extremely busy in fact, organising the mess that had been left for him by his predecessor; but he grew bored easily. Chaos didn’t do too well when caged after all. Eventually the strange pathway opened up once more and Loki inhaled and smelled... a garden?

He passed through the doorway and stepped into the light.

 ...

 It was weird, really that Darcy had worked with Jane at all, but her grandmother had told her to go so she did.

What a weather witch had been doing studying political science in the first place was Darcy’s own business, but she’d kept in touch with her grandmother while at college and had relented pretty easily when her granny had told her to go.

“I’ve been doing some reading.” Granny had said offhandedly. It wasn’t really that odd at all, Granny was always reading. There is a very smart young lady who needs some help to find her destiny. You will help her.

“Gran I’d love to but I have to do an internship. There’s this one I’ve had my heart set on for-”

“Oh don’t worry about that. An astronomer needs your help! And apparently she needs an intern. You’ll get six credits and I’ve already made sure you’ll be the only applicant.” Darcy frowned. “Come on Darcy. You know I can’t leave the garden so easily these days and New Mexico would dry me out for good. It’ll be worth it I promise. It shouldn’t take long...”

And so she’d gone.

Jane had indeed turned out to be a very talented and brave astronomer who just needed the right weather conditions. Darcy had subtly used her gift to help where she could, predicting the right conditions and keeping the data clear of interference between making sure the equipment never overheated and making sure the frazzled woman ate and slept enough. She was a summer witch after all, she couldn’t actually _create_ storms but she could feel them coming, electricity trailing up the tattoos on her arms and making her hair all frizzy for days before a good one.

She kept herself covered in oversized clothing despite the climate, covering her tattoos and her uncut hair. Even so, Jane sometimes looked at her like she was the oddest phenomenon she’d ever seen.

For better or for worse, that changed soon enough.

She’d felt the storm coming of course. Conveniently, Jane’s mentor and father figure Erik had come to stay so they all packed up the beast and drove out to the desert. Darcy could feel it. The shift. The magic. _Weather magic_ She’d gone from dead bored to alert in a second and called Jane’s attention to the big ass anomaly in front of the beast. She made to cautiously approach when Jane took the wheel and drove them right into impossibility.

That was when Darcy knew that Granny’s ‘it shouldn’t take long’ was a big fat lie. Five years. FIVE YEARS and several frights that could have killed her later Darcy had left Jane safely in the arms of Thor on Asgard as the king’s ‘mistress of science’ or whatever and moved back to the garden. Her beloved granny had passed away sometime around the London incident and Darcy was to take over.

There was planting and pruning and a whole bunch of drying to be done, as well as the keeping of the bees. Who knew how many seasons had passed since. She knew she’d aged, her body slowing a little and her hair coming up with some grey here and there, but she was so distracted with her work it seemed like a minute between presidents these days.

The status of the bees was too concerning to think of too much else.

...

“YOU DID WHAT?” Jane’s voice reverberated through the golden tower lab, her own private space in the golden palace of the Eternal City. She was a mess of Midgardian and Asgardian clothing, rumpled check shirt under a chest plate and golden skirts over sandals, hair falling out of her braids. Thor thought she was glorious.

He sat on one of the available chairs to be closer to her height and shrugged. “It was the Volva’s idea. She said it would generate a better long term solution for Loki’s rehabilitation. Bring about a much needed catalyst for something necessary to all of our futures.” The ancient crone had had a sparkle in her eye that had shocked Thor at the time. Their seemingly constant amusement reminded him of Loki in the oddest of ways. Perhaps being so close to Yggdrasil on a regular basis made anyone a little mad. “She said not to worry, that Darcy is stronger and wiser than she seems and perhaps even wily enough to take Loki on.” Thor gazed out at the stars visible from the lab at any time of day and sighed. “Anyway he should be arriving at her home any day now.”

“Oh Thor.” Jane brushed some hair out of her eyes.

She was aging. Slowed of course by the apple cider Idunn kept them in but aging nonetheless. Thankfully her friend was a witch and the magic in her system was helping her keep pace. Jane would turn 50 Midgardian years old in a few days and Darcy 39 a few days after that. Neither looked too much over thirty however. Both were beautiful and intelligent and brave and deserved their long life, in Thor’s opinion. “Don’t worry my Jane, we shall watch and see. You just keep your eyes on the stars. ”

...

Darcy was labelling her bees’ latest batch of honey, her little friends buzzing around her when she felt a shift in her garden- a burst of frigid air and then nothing.

She frowned, putting the lid back on her pen and heading out to investigate. Her garden was an ancient anomaly handed down from grandmother to granddaughter, usually skipping a generation because they tended live a little longer for some unknown reason.

How it came to be was a mystery that had been lost somewhere a long time ago. All Darcy knew was that as a general rule, only she could find it. She also knew was that when the garden was well, so was the region around it, but when it started doing badly, shit wasn’t going to go too well in her world. Which was concerning, because winters of late had been way too warm. There were so many plants like elderberry and cherry that needed the frost.

She frowned as she felt chill shift the air again. It wouldn’t do too much damage as it was now fall and things were _supposed_ to be cooling. Nevertheless it was odd and worth inspecting.

Her garden’s spelled defences should have trapped any intruder by now so Darcy took the time to clean up her work space a little and stop to inspect a plant or two on the way.

Her jumpers and hats of old were long gone. In fact Darcy had been clothed by the new Allfather ever since she helped save the universe the last time. Today’s choice was a lovely green number which somehow managed to support her boobs and still show off her shoulders at the same time. Her arms and hands and everywhere else were covered in old tattoos pertaining to her work and she wore two pairs of socks under her supple leather boots to fight the growing cold while she could still enjoy the sun on her shoulders. She mused that she must look rather an odd sight, but she hadn’t really seen anyone else for at least a year so who cared?

Not her intruder certainly.

...

Loki was utterly bemused as he stepped out of the Way and entered a garden. Midgard, he thought as he watched the Way close with a little trepidation. (They didn’t really do that.) He frowned, but shrugged and turned back to the rambling greenery before him. Yggdrasil was far wiser than he after all.

The almost wild state of the vegetation prevented it from being quite like his mother’s from his childhood, but it reminded him of her all the same; a lump forming unbidden in his throat as he slowly explored all of the bends and turns of the place.

The magic here was... odd. Almost sentient. He knew it was rather fanciful but he could swear he felt the air almost feeling him out. Exploring his agendas for malevolence. He shivered despite the warmth to the air (warm for him; looking round he could see the tips of the leaves starting to turn.)

He continued to wander, his mind taking him into memory. His thinking of another garden, one full of his mother’s favourite plants to eat and smell and admire. A place he spent much of his childhood in back when things seemed much simpler.

It was this uncharacteristic nostalgia that was his undoing.

His sigh was cut off by a yelp he hoped no one heard as he found himself trapped in a cage of prickled vines, flowers blooming at an unnatural rate around him. It had been a long time since Loki had been on Midgard but he had never come across such a phenomenon in all of his visits, let alone magic this powerful.  

He discovered too late that the pungent perfume of the beautiful flowers held a drug. He had only his frost giant resilience to thank for the fact that he wasn’t rendered completely unconscious, only doped.  It was, however enough to have him sinking to his knees and holding his head. His armour was feeling uncommonly heavy too.

He resisted the urge to strip it off in this poisoned cage and tried to stay as alert as possible to the now very ominous danger that Yggdrasil had lead him into.

He cursed, slurring his words.

...

“Holy shit you’re high as fuck!”

Darcy snorted when she finally found her garden’s invader. She was amused to find him not asleep but singing a song in Aesir to a she wolf who was making herself quite comfortable next to him in the grass.  She raised her eyebrows in amusement as he turned his head, startled at her appearance.

Sure, she’d become a little distracted picking bunches of things that were ready on the way but was he really expecting to just stay there forever in his pretty cage?

She clicked her fingers and threw them toward the cage lazily and some faerie lights blinked into existence to light the reclining figure properly. The prisoner sighed sadly “Goodbye pretty stars” he mumbled and then attempted to sit up.

It took a few tries but eventually he achieved his aim, eyes straining to see her despite the glare in his red rimmed eyes.

As it dawned who exactly was held drugged and caged in her garden Darcy covered her face and swore quietly. How the fuck had Thor’s brother made it to Midgard? Wasn’t he trapped in Hel serving an eternal sentence of community service or something? She tipped her head back and glared at the sky thinking she’d dob him in, when she shivered at the chill in the air.

Turning to her prisoner she bit her lip, considering a rather stupid idea.

...

Loki was bemused as the pretty woman disappeared back whence she came and the light receded, his eyes adjusting back to look at the magnificent sky. He had never enjoyed Midgard’s heavens quite this much and a still functioning part of his brain mused that it was due to his ‘high’ as the woman had called it. He supposed he should be grateful that the drug was such a gentle one. Loki had had suffered worse plenty of times.

He allowed his mind to drift while the wolf by his side was joined by an exquisite orange snake and a few other creatures that seemed a little less friendly in his presence than his familiar companions. How a deer could carry such malevolence Loki had no idea, neither did he know quite if it was the drug that was making the beast seem so. He was still mulling over the prospect of hallucinations when the woman came back. She really was exquisite to the eye.

She had long brown curly hair that almost seemed to defy gravity and she had flowers poked here and there which held where they were without a pin or binding of any sort. Her skin if compared to his own was far darker, a beautiful rich colour the sun had rendered on her flesh though he could spy a scattering of freckles among the ritualistic tattoos marking her flesh where the lights drifted close.

Her eyes were blue, brought out by her green dress which was clearly Asgardian in make. No, surely this was a dream his mind had conjured up; a curvy morsel for him to pant over. Trust his mind to dream up a smile that sharp and crooked along with bosoms so soft and full, eyes holding a thousand secrets as she came closer to his cage. He sighed and the she wolf nestled closer as he blinked slowly.

“Good.” She said, her voice musical to his ears though not the kind of song found on Asgard. No, this was Midgardian in nature, that was for sure. For the first time in many years Loki found himself not finding that to be a bad thing. “You’re still awake. I wonder if it’s your heritage that helps you fight the toxins.”

Loki exerted some effort and was once again in a shaky sitting position- or something resembling it. “Was it supposed to kill me?” he asked, wondering if the tiny woman before him was capable of such a thing.

Her smile grew sharp again. “No. Generally it is children that find their way into my garden actually, and they are put to sleep gently so that I can try and return them to their parents if I can. Though in the past my ancestors would occasionally keep them. I’m not really much one for kidnapping.” She lost her smile and tipped her head to one side. “Well, not as a general rule anyway.”

That part of Loki’s brain that continued to coldly analyse the situation found that statement rather objectionable. “But- I’m not- I’m not a child” He managed to get out with little to no slurring.

The woman looked him up and down suggestively and bit her lip. “No, you are not. Nevertheless I hear you’ve been a very bad boy. There aren’t too many people who would remember what you’re capable of but fortunately for me, i’m one of the few who do.”

Loki swallowed, wondering precisely what kind of punishments Darcy had in mind.

...

Darcy paused as one of her familiars leapt through the foliage and circled her skirts before trailing into the cage and climbing up Loki’s chest. She watched as the charcoal grey kitten meowed sweetly and licked his cheek

Darcy clicked her tongue again, “Loki I honestly don’t think that I could hold you here even if I wanted to...” she trailed off when she realised that she wasn’t helping. Honestly she was getting a bit terrible at conversation these days.

She took a breath and stormed ahead. “-However there is a purpose that you could serve very well in my garden, and I don’t think I’m quite ready to let you go.”

His expression remained cautious and Darcy wondered if she had the guts to follow through with her plan. Would she be able to pull it off?

She shook off her doubts and lifted her chin. “I need you to bring the winter.”

Green eyes widened within the cage and Loki paused where he was allowing a carpet snake to wind up his arm. He’d really gathered quite a crowd. His eyes remained clouded and jaw slack as the spell had fought to stabilise his condition. Not really conducive to intelligent conversation.

Darcy huffed with impatience. She pulled a cup out of her basket and two flasks. One held sweet tea and the other a little spell she had to counteract the toxins of the flowers. She poured the tea into the cup before putting just a drop into the other liquid and spoke a few words over it just for kicks.

She held the cup through a gap in the vine and Loki looked at her dubiously despite his state. “Look Loki, it’s just a simple spell to clear your mind. You should be able to see that even in your current state. I hear you’re such a smart boy after all.”

He took the cup from her carefully and stared into it for a while and giving it a suspicious sniff before shrugging and knocking it back in one go. Soon enough a silver mist drifted out of his mouth on the exhale and was breathed in again, his eyes clearing the more he breathed it in. He leaned back on his elbows and let his head fall back, just breathing and letting his brain come back. Eventually he stood, coming to his full – wow tall- height and looming as much as is possible in a floral cage with grass and twigs in your hair.

Darcy didn’t let her sudden doubt show.

“You want me, Prince of Asgard and Master of Hel to ‘bring you winter?’” he asked, his tone cold.

Darcy smiled sweetly. “Yes?” She asked and he laughed, slicking back his hair and scratching the wolf’s ears idly.

He looked confused, actually more than anything. “I mean if you want to.” She added, eyebrows scrunching and shoulders falling. “I don’t know if you noticed the last few times you were here-” she paused. Yes, he’d been rather distracted then. “-but our climate is a little...fucked?”

...

Loki crossed his arms, considering her words. He had been a little busy, and his recollections were a little hazy. He did remember sweating a lot though, and perhaps the feeling of being off balance wasn’t quite all due to the mind stone and the link with the Other, which had been his thought.

He stared down at the little witch before him and she stared back guilessly. The only lies in her were those hiding her fear, an acceptable lie for anyone; especially a tiny mortal. He considered her words and let his senses really consider the earth around him. Eventually he came to a decision. He silently sat down, closed his eyes and started to meditate.

...

It was as the sun was rising that Loki came back to himself, raising his eyes to see the little woman seated leaning against a tree and eating dried fruit from a basket with the kitten curled up on her skirt.

He considered again the make of the garment, narrowing his eyes. He wondered at such finery paired with her wild hair and colourful socks. He wondered if she looked in a mirror at all.

Of course none of her wildness diminished her beauty- the opposite in fact. Loki caught his thoughts before they went somewhere he wasn’t keen on going with a Midgardian weather witch and turned them back to the subject at hand. “As reluctant as I am to admit it I could not possibly adjust the weather for your whole world without the casket of ancient winters. I do not have it.”

The woman shook her head, waving his comment away. “I’m only responsible for this garden and the surrounding area.”

Loki raised his eyebrows. He had no idea how these witches had avoided detection by Asgard but there must then be a few of them.  “Well then. But first I must know something. How did you cause the way in Yggdrasil to lure me to you?”

She snorted. “I didn’t? First I knew of you coming back to Midgard was a sudden chill in the air.”

Loki’s mouth formed a firm line. The witch stared back. Again there were no lies. His shoulders relaxed but his finger went to his mouth as he thought.

Who could have opened a way? Of course it wasn’t the mortal. Her spell work was neat but she couldn’t be more than a hundred years old. Nowhere near enough time to learn such a thing. Truly the only one able to make such a thing was Yggdrasil herself. But Loki hadn’t the faintest clue why.

He found her gaze once more and nodded. “I can stay for a time. Yggdrasil has left me stranded for a reason after all.” his mouth quirked and he raised his hands into the air to bring her attention to his cage. “Will you keep me bound, little witch or are you brave and stupid enough to let me out of this cage?”

The girl had looked pleased for a moment but didn’t like his tone. She stood up with a huff and walked away, the little kitten trailing along the path behind her with its tail in the air. “That answers that question I suppose.” Loki said to the wolf.

...

 

Loki didn’t bother standing as Darcy strolled back down the path a few hours later. She had no idea how long his journey from Hel had been, or how long frost giants could go without food but she could hear his stomach growling from where she was. She hid her smile at Loki’s look of consternation.

He remained where he was; his head leaned on the wolf’s soft stomach, his hair spread out around his face like a dark halo. Darcy carefully placed the basket she was carrying down on the grass and rifled through for the spell to counteract the defensive cage. She smiled coyly at his questioning glance and uncorked it before taking a small sip and blowing the resultant spell out over the base of the living cage.

The result was slow and Darcy was quite aware the god of Mischief was watching her more than anything else that was going on around him.

“You know in all my time I have never seen spell work quite like yours.” He said, brows raised and a delighted glint in his eye. “Does your magic always require spit and breath to work or do you have other tricks?”

Darcy shrugged, “You can check out my library in my study. You can read all about my ‘tricks’ to your heart’s content while you’re here.”

Darcy stoppered the bottle and pulled another out of the basket, catching his lingering glance at her ass before she rose. She unstoppered the new bottle and poured the potion into the ground with a straight face.

Loki soon found a fresh vine roping around his wrists, still somehow connected to the ground. He rolled his eyes but didn’t look too surprised. “Am I going to live all of my years bound by those that come to me for help?” He asked the wolf but she just huffed through her nose in response.

Darcy smiled crookedly and said, “All I have to say about that is that bondage is a _very_ good look on you.” When hard green eyes flicked up in annoyance she only smiled sweetly, allowing her own gaze to sweep over him once again as she bit her lip. He really was pretty. _Especially_ with his hair all mussed up with bits of grass in it. After a day in the garden it was starting to regain a bit of its natural curl. His armour was of course immaculate but it was something. Darcy scrunched her face up at the cuteness.

She nudged the basket with her foot and raised her eyebrow. “Hungry?”

Loki rose gracefully, giving a small bow before stepping out of his cage and accepting the basket.

...

One benefit Loki hadn’t foreseen in this partnership was the cooking. He didn’t think he’s been quite this spoiled since he’d taken the head cook’s apprentice as a lover in his youth. He mused that the little witch didn’t even realise how well she was treating him, the supposed prisoner in this paradise. With the cooler weather these days Loki had very little to complain about.

Reminiscing about that cook’s apprentice had him thinking about appetites of another kind however as he watched as Darcy bent and reached across the table to grab something, showing off her abundant bosom which was barely restrained in today’s particular Asgardian gown. This one was orange, with long sleeves that were embroidered with bees and various Asgardian wildflowers and looked incredibly well on her. Loki knew quite a few of the plants by sight, having used them in potion work for centuries. He was overcome by the desire to pull her into his arms and whisper their names into her ear as he traced over them with his fingers.

But really, what was Thor thinking giving her such impractical garments for her occupation? Sure they were beautiful and worth a fortune even on Asgard but worth was always relative. Next time the lout visited Hel he’d have a word with him about a tailor that worked close to the palace. The Halfling elf worked wonders with leather, was skilled with silk and would be able to craft some far more practical garments while still retaining their beauty.

For such a woman deserved to be well adorned, Thor and Loki were in agreement on that. Besides the impractical nature of the weather witch’s garments Loki could not say he could complain at all about watching her bend over various garden beds all day in clothes that were designed to highlight her countless charms.

Momentarily, Darcy cut herself while chopping a root for tea. Loki appeared by her side instantly and gently took her hand, sucking on her finger and putting one of her Midgardian spells into practice while looking into her eyes. He found himself doing this often, falling into behaviours he had as a far younger man wooing country maids and working class women in the town.

They would have giggled or thanked him breathily as he watched their blush disappear into their neckline. Darcy however just gave a dry snort and thanked him offhandedly, manoeuvring him out of her way with her hip as she went back to work.

Loki didn’t know whether he was disappointed or delighted by her dismissal. His sudden erection proved it was the latter.

...

Darcy did have to admit that Loki was far more charming a houseguest than she ever would have predicted. He spent most of his time in her study, paging through all of the bound journals and books of magic that she had allowed him to see, becoming fascinated with the history of the Midgardian gardens and their keepers.

Most of the time he would save up his questions until they shared a meal, either she cooking for them both or he taking some food out to wherever she was preparing the beds for winter whenever she got distracted and lost track of the time. Occasionally though he would rush out with a pressing question or advice that simply could not wait.

After a time, Darcy realised that these more urgent moments almost always had to do with her lifespan. Either something she was doing was particularly good and she should make a practice of it, or conversely -and this seemed to genuinely distress the god of mischief for some reason- something she was doing was guaranteed to take years from her life. He always had an alternative for her though, and so Darcy listened, and noted his advice down in her own journals when she found she liked these new practices and spells.

Other times, he would simply sit and watch her work, a book lying forgotten in his lap. His bright green eyes followed every measurement and stroke and slice as she mixed potions, cast spells or made meals. Darcy knew there was a certain heat in his gaze, but she didn’t know how to respond in a way that didn’t promise something she couldn’t give. For his part he seemed continuously puzzled when his flirtations never seemed to work. She supposed that when the recipient of his attentions wasn’t aromantic as all fuck he would be quite irresistible.

In truth he was as hot as the desert in a New Mexican summer. If he wasn’t always _ruining_ the moment with romantic gestures executed with a skill only a trained magician could carry off Darcy would have taken him into her bed weeks ago; but he did, and so she didn’t.

 At least their budding friendship didn’t suffer for it. Loki continued to help her manipulate the weather and was otherwise quite content to study and learn while she carried on the rest of her work. They ate, they exchanged knowledge; he continued his reading and she tended her garden. Time slowly passed.

Until one night Loki seemed inordinately troubled. “What’s up?” Darcy asked as she ate the last mouthful of eggplant curry that Loki had made. He loved Indian food, apparently and Darcy had exactly zero complaints with that, even if she had to visit the nearby city to restock her spices the other week.

He looked up, face blank. He had been quiet and broody all dinner. Darcy raised an eyebrow and Loki’s shoulders sagged. He paused; trying to figure out how to say what was troubling him, and eventually spit it out. “It’s not exactly any of my business.” He said, eyes carefully weighing her reaction and Darcy crossed her arms on the table.

“What isn’t?”

Loki brushed his mouth with one long finger, a habit he had while discussing anything from magic to the best way to prepare legumes. “In the journals every caretaker has had a child-children even ... and yet you seem quite content to go on without them. Who will the garden go to if you do not bare a daughter with your magical inheritance?”

Darcy sighed and moved her bowl aside, leaning her elbows on the table. “You’re right, you’re totally right. I should just go into town and get knocked up by some guy. It’s what all my ancestors did. But I don’t know, times are different and I feel like getting pregnant without the father’s consent is a really shitty thing to do... And there’s a guy in town who’d be pretty happy for the job I think but I’m also pretty sure he wants the job of my husband as well and I can’t Loki, I think about it and I start to freak out because I’m just not... romantic. I just can’t manufacture an ounce of enthusiasm for anything remotely resembling a ‘normal’ relationship-” she realised her volume was getting a little loud and cut herself off, hiding her face in her hands in frustration and taking some time to breathe.

Loki however didn’t seem at all dismayed at her admission. His eyes showed confusion and then realisation before he leaned forwards, searching for something. Coming to a conclusion he rose and slowly he circled around the table and crouched before her, taking her hands away from her face asking quietly, “Do you mean to tell me that this whole time, instead of trying to woo you I should have just-”

He tipped his face up and caught her lips softly enough to allow her to push him away if this was not what she wanted after all.

His kiss was pleasantly cool against her flushed skin. Darcy caught his hair at the base of his neck firmly in her hand as he went to retreat and turned on the bench she was seated on for a better angle. She hadn’t entirely realised it but she’d wanted this for a very long time.

She sighed as he leaned in again and softly bit her lip, bunching the front of his shirt up in one hand and pulling on his hair a little with the other, making him groan. He slid his hands up her legs gathering her silken skirts up as he went and and picked her up by the backs of her thighs easily. She wrapped her legs around him as he moved through her house, passed the study to her bedroom.

...

Loki stepped through the doorway to the only room in Darcy’s house he had never entered before, placing her on her feet before allowing his hands the movements he had thought about doing a thousand times since his arrival in the garden.

Due to extensive experience with Asgardian clothing her dress was pooling around her feet in but a moment without him ever leaving Darcy’s divine mouth wanting. He finally took a step back to take her in and sucked in a breath at the beautiful sight before him.

She had some dirt on her cheek where she’d missed when she was washing up and her lumpy gardening socks came up to her knees. Tattoos littered her body consisting mostly of plants and flowers with protection spells and runes either scattered in between or making up part of the design. Her breasts sat heavy in a bed of roses with a coil of vine winding down her side.

Her hair cascaded down her back in tangles and he swore he saw a few springs of lavender and rosemary caught in her curls but it only made him smile wider. She was glorious.

His perusal was cut short however as Darcy grew impatient and started tugging at his tunic. He peeled it off and her fingers made short work of the laces of his breeches before smoothing up his stomach and trailing down his sides. Touch starved as he now realised he was he almost whimpered at the warmth of her hands on his skin with so simple a caress.

They both took care of their own footwear and then Darcy was scooting up her cozy bed backwards, making a view that had Loki’s breath coming short. Her pussy was untrimmed and though her body was strong due to her work in the garden she retained a delicious softness that had him kissing up her legs and plunging his face between them to lap at her like a man dying of thirst.

Darcy didn’t seem to mind as she wrapped her thighs around his head, causing him to moan into her. His hands wrapped around her delicious bottom and lifted, giving him a better angle as he worked her with his mouth.

He had bedded all kinds of beings in his time but he had to admit if only to himself that this simple pleasure was one of his favourites. They had called him Silvertongue after all. After taking his time with teasing her to the brink a few times and pulling all kinds of noises from her he sucked on her clitoris at just the right intensity to have her coming, watching as her body arched with bliss.

She had been beautiful as she spilt over the edge and at that moment all Loki wanted was to watch it all over again from a closer angle. He kissed her shaking legs and lifted them off of his shoulders as he nuzzled his way up her gorgeous body, placing the occasional lick or kiss. He now knew she wasn’t romantic in nature but her body was made to be worshiped. He made sure to include a few little nips and drags of his teeth to let her know he wasn’t about to propose, even though her taste alone should be enough to grant her the title of princess.

...

Loki’s skill with his tongue had Darcy wishing she’d jumped him earlier but she’d just had the first orgasm in possibly a decade and she’d been more than a little worried she’d be out of practice. As he soothed her quaking body and crawled up towards her with eyes that told her all about what was to come she stilled him, pulling him away from her mouth and placing a finger over his lips. “Just, uh- we’re not having a baby tonight...right? That’s not what this is about-”

Loki looked confused, and then his face cleared when he remembered which conversation they were having before he made his [finally successful] move. He kissed her fingers and she moved them, allowing him to assure her “Oh, no. I’ve already cast a spell to prevent pregnancy.”

Darcy relaxed with a smile and bit his chin softly. “Good, just so we’re all clear.”

“Chrystal.” Loki murmured, leaning forward to kiss and bite her neck with a skill that had her curling her toes in the sheets.

His hand drifted to one breast while his lips migrated to the other and Darcy wrapped her legs around his waist and rubbed her pussy along his shaft. He looked up; eyes dark and mouth open, panting.  “That’s really nice but can you like, multitask?” she asked and he huffed a laugh. He looked down their bodies and she let her legs fall open as her eyes followed, watching as he manoeuvred their bodies together, pushing gently at first and then more firmly, edging into her tight cunt. “Uh,” she panted as he moaned and let his head drop to her shoulder, hips coming to a stop as he bottomed out. “It’s been a while.” She feathered her fingers down his ribs till he remembered to breath, shifting his hips slightly and making them both moan again.

“For me as well.” He offered quietly and she snorted, hooking her right leg over his ass.

“No I don’t suppose there are too many choices in Hel.” She commented dryly and he laughed weakly, his head still on her shoulder, his soft hair tickling her cheek.

Making a call Darcy flipped them over, enjoying Loki’s delighted surprise at the move. She rolled her hips and his smile disappeared, face creasing in pleasure. He wasn’t alone in his bliss, his body temperature was apparently cool _all over_ and the effect on her pussy already made sensitive by his cold tongue was _phenomenal_. She took it slow at first, her strong thighs and ass working as she rolled her hips sensually. She probably wouldn’t have admitted it out loud but she really enjoyed the way Loki couldn’t take his eyes off of her where she sat astride him, visibly biting off whimpers at the heat of her body.

Eventually though she needed more and increased the pace till her tits and hair were bouncing as she rode him. Loki planted his feet on the bed and met her thrusts and the part of Darcy’s brain that still worked after that was glad he wasn’t a lazy or overly entitled lover.

The sensitivity caused by the difference in temperature meant that Darcy came almost embarrassingly fast, but Loki grasped at her hips with a reassuringly strong grip, helping her through her orgasm before increasing the pace once more. One of his thumbs made it’s way down over her belly and pressed down expertly on her clit with delicious pressure at just the right moment causing Darcy to come again, just as Loki threw his head back, baring his neck as his own powerful orgasm hit.

She collapsed on him, panting and trying to process as her brain came back online when he carefully lifted her off of him and pushed her away, starfishing out on the bed. She was about to comment with incredulity when she realised he was looking a little pink. “I’m - sorry Darcy, you’re just too hot. I just need to...” he panted ... and then passed out.

“Loki?” Darcy asked, tapping his cheek gently. When he didn’t respond she scrambled up and opened all of her windows, sighing in relief when he came to.

...

Loki awoke to Darcy’s concerned face, her hair tickling his flushed cheek as she hovered over him to make sure he was alright.

He had to admit it had been some time since his consciousness had brought such relief for someone. He felt something tug in him at the thought.

She collapsed with a sigh on her side beside him, a tumble of hair and exquisite naked flesh, the autumn air they’d been working on together pebbling her skin.  He noticed she was close but that she was making sure not to touch him and he smiled at her. “Thank you, that hasn’t happened in a very long time.” His smile froze as he belatedly realised now the reason he had occasionally passed out after tumbling with a warm blooded creature in the past.

Noticing the path of his thoughts Darcy shoved him playfully to distract him, still maintaining their distance otherwise. “You freaked me out! No one’s ever passed out on me before!”

Loki smiled bashfully, “No I’m sure you’ve never made love to a Jotunn before.”

Darcy scrunched up her nose. “I’ve never ‘made love’ before with _anyone_.” Loki winced in apology. Darcy leaned forward and said “I’ve fucked a Jotunn though.” right into his mouth before she bit his lip.

Loki moaned, enjoying the Midgardian cuss word on her tongue. “Have you now. And what do you think about _fucking_ him again?” Darcy licked her lips. She put her hand on his cheek before trailing down, gripping his chin firmly and kissing him hard, sucking his tongue into her mouth. Loki grasped her hip and drew her forwards when Darcy placed her hands on his chest and pushed him away, panting with a grin.

“Just a moment.” She said, and skipped out of the room. Loki was sad to see her go but it was very enjoyable watching her naked body bounce as she raced out. He lay back in her comfortable bed, enjoying the cool air moving over his body while he waited.

Soon enough she re-emerged with a tray of icy homemade lemonade, a drink he had become very fond of during his stay. She made him drink three glasses while she worked on one, wincing at the temperature.

Once Darcy was satisfied that they were properly refreshed she pushed Loki back on the mattress. He tried to chase after her as she retreated down his body but she resisted. “I don’t want to overheat you again so soon.” She bit into his thigh, her nose squishing on the muscle adorably. “Besides.” She said as she licked up the other leg, not breaking their gaze. Loki groaned at the vision she made, his breath already hitching with want. She nibbled on his hip bone and Loki broke their gaze and looked to the ceiling. Perhaps he shouldn’t have teased her so earlier in the evening... but she’d been so delicious. “I haven’t gotten to explore you yet.” She finished as she pulled the tip of his cock onto her tongue and sucked. Her mouth was still cool from her drink and it felt divine. Loki moaned and relaxed into the pillows, letting her do as she wished. 

He was rewarded with the skill of a woman who apparently wanted some of the same things that he did.

...

Of course Loki had never been in love in his life. He was chaos itself, always wanting to drift and move, rather than stay in any one place for too long. Even so he had become accustomed to certain expectations and needs of other people.

But he found with Darcy’s own predisposition toward independence it was easy to continue on with their previous daily rhythm with next to no changes at all except that Loki occasionally politely interrupted Darcy’s day for a tumble in the garden and stopped resisting the urge to push her up against the wall occasionally. But they were both quite able to continue on with their work and under their care the garden did all of the things it was supposed to at this time of year. Darcy was so relieved sometimes she felt like crying.

Then of course there were the nights. Loki increasingly made them meals and carried out other tasks so that Darcy had more time and energy for fucking. He would eat without his gaze leaving her, staring at her almost like a hungry jaguar and as soon as she swallowed her last bite he would be on her, showering her with nibbles and kisses and carrying her to bed.

With free meals and regular orgasms it wasn’t a habit Darcy was about to dissuade. She was a little curious though; this Loki seemed so _very_ different than the alien invader who had tried to conquer the world.

Eventually she had to know. And one night while they lay in the afterglow, lounging far enough away from each other that Loki was able to cool properly, she looked over at his lazy smile and asked before she realised what she was doing. “Why...how are you so content in this simple little life? I haven’t once seen you frustrated or angry that you’re here. How..?” she drifted off because it seemed he got what she was asking.

He sighed and turned on the bed so that he was facing her directly. “I have had many moments of peace and quiet between everything, stealing time to study in secluded cottages, or staying with some pretty company, making my own meals... Contrary to what you might think, I never wanted to rule.” Darcy did raise an eyebrow but she didn’t comment. “When I was younger I often grew frustrated with my life. I only really wanted to study, to do magic, but of course Odin...” He didn’t finish that sentence but there were a thousand stories in his eyes that Darcy wasn’t sure she actually wanted to hear. He traced a tendril of tattooed vine up her torso and brushed the underside of her breast with his thumb, lost in memories. Then he seemed to gather himself and continued. “So I’d run away. Chase an unexplored pathway through Yggdrasil to another realm or retreat to one of my hideaways and either work on some problem that I hadn’t had the quiet to really concentrate on or simply enjoy stillness without the scheming and mechanisations of court life. Go hunting without Thor blundering into chase away my prey, catch up on some reading, or woo a pretty companion or two into my bed...” he added with a smile. Darcy returned it.

“But then one day Odin had simply had enough. He managed to marry me off and banned me from travelling alone anymore; I had to go with Thor and his idiot friends on their foolish adventures or not at all. I do believe it sent me quite mad.” He looked up into Darcy’s face to see her reaction but she found she had nothing to say. He was probably right.

And after all, she had asked him a question he could have taken offence to and instead he had told her the truth. And while it was true that Darcy could be a little offended that she was just one of many people he had taken refuge in, Darcy had neither the time nor inclination for possessiveness.

After all she was benefitting greatly from his presence here, but she knew just as well as he that he didn’t belong here on Midgard, not for any real length of time as measured by places like Asgard.

So instead she leaned forward and kissed him, telling him in her own little way that she was glad of his presence for the moment. He returned it gladly with his own sentiments and that was the end of conversation for the night.

...

It was later, far later when the subject of children came up again. Loki had never actually offered to sire a child on her, but she had turned his previous question over and over in her mind, pondering possibilities and trying to predict what the future held, and every single time he came out as the best way to ensure the future of Midgard. Depending on the way their DNA mixed up of course, but a frost giant or human with some frost magic would be the best way forward into an increasingly desperate future.

She took her time, nervously wondering how exactly one broached such a subject. Eventually one cold morning she looked out of her workshop window and spotted Loki play fighting with his wolf familiar in the snow and saw an opening. “Are the stories true?”She called, leaning on the sill in pretence at casualness; biting her lip when she realised this might not be the best subject to bring up after all.

Loki paused and looked to where she was kneeling at a vegetable patch, a tumble of hair and silk and flashing blue eyes. “It depends on which ones you speak of.” He said mildly, but with a certain wickedness in his eye.

 Darcy smiled at that. “Of course it does. But um... I mean the ones about your children. Do you really have a wolf for a child?”

Loki let out a breath through his nose and Darcy realised she’d never actually seen Loki angry. Sure he’d sent the destroyer but she’d never seen him then. But her worries were unfounded.

“The joining of magical beings can bring about rather ...surprising results.” He said softly, bringing his legs around to sit cross legged on the snow as if it was no different than grass or carpet. “And Fenrir’s mother Angrboda was almost equal to me in power at the time. Our offspring were all greater than us in their own ways...” he said, staring off into the distance. “But to answer your question Fenrir, actually both our sons were powerful shape shifters. Fenrir just favoured the wolf form.” Loki said with a shrug, patting the wolf next to him on the stomach absentmindedly.

Darcy nodded, taking this in. “And Hela?”

Loki’s face softened, warming Darcy’s heart a little bit. “She was our most powerful child. She could travel through the planes of reality.”

“That’s....” Darcy stared at him in awe. “Holy shit!”

Loki smiled, as he always did when she swore for some reason. “Yes.” He looked extremely proud

Darcy paused, trying to put it in words. ‘Would you perhaps be the father of my children?’ suddenly seemed a bit clumsy- she felt a bit young and clumsy next to shape shifting warlocks and... Hela.  

She was so lost in thought that she jumped when suddenly Loki was in front of her, hands on the windowsill, giving her a searching look.  “Darcy,” he started slowly. “You would be a wonderful mother.” He said quietly. Her shoulders sagged, and she bit her lip as she thought through the idea of motherhood one more time. He tipped his  head to the side and continued. “-And if that is your wish –if this is why you are asking- I would be privileged to-” He stopped, with an actual, honest to Thor blush on his face

“Be my sperm donor?” Darcy offered shyly with a crooked smile.

Loki huffed a laugh. “Yes.” His eyes were soft, but they seemed to hold all of his years all the sudden.  “Though if Yggdrasil allowed it I would help you however you wished it. Raising magical children is...” his mouth twisted in a wry grin.

Darcy’s eyebrows went up as she remembered her own childhood. “Yeah I was a terror.” Loki gently cupped her chin, and rubbed under her lip with his thumb. Not in a romantic way but with a soft expression that somehow continued to seemingly unveil something and show him for the ancient and uncanny being he was of all kinds of knowledge to show for it.

If anything was going to reassure her about being a parent, somehow an ancient sorcerer from outer space gazing into her eyes and telling her she was capable was it.

“I’ll wager you were.” He said with a smile and Darcy laughed.

Loki smiled reassuringly and Darcy bit her lip, she knew after nearly an entire winter she shouldn’t be surprised by the magic alien dude but she was still a little shocked about how cool he had just been about having babies together. “SO. Ummm, you wanna?”

Loki grinned, all that uncanny shit gone in an instant as mischief returned to his eyes. She kissed him then, through the window and he happily obliged and hummed as she pulled away, the cold breeze stirring their hair and reminding her that they were still discussing this through a window.

“We can practice-” He started with a cheeky grin and Darcy stepped back, blushing. wasn’t- didn’t he just say- Loki gripped her shoulders softly in reassurance and continued what he was going to say “-but interspecies reproduction takes a little spellwork and a lot of magic to take.” He said softly, his voice gentle and reassuring.

“But Thor and-“

Loki nodded with a surprisingly fond smile. “Yes, they have two healthy, fat little babies, and I was glad to help, though arguably Eir did most of the work as I was in Hel.”

Darcy gaped. “You helped?”

Loki nodded with a snort. “Of course. I told you, I don’t want to rule Asgard and before those bairns were born I was the heir.” He pulled a face.

Darcy sat down, as one has to when they have paradigms shifting so thoroughly. Loki looked down at her with gentle amusement on his face. “I’m not certain, but I feel that my time here is coming to an end.” Darcy started to protest but he stopped her with his finger pressed to his lips. “But if my hunch is correct, and they usually are, this might be a seasonal pattern for some time. If this is the case than I can simply gather all the necessary supplies while I am away and happily work on fathering your child upon my return in the autumn.” He wiggled his eyebrows and she huffed a laugh despite all of the feelings battling for dominance inside her chest.

“Would that suit you?” He asked, his smile gone and his eyes serious.

Darcy thought it out, biting her lip. “What if your assumption is wrong and-” Loki shrugged.

“I have grown rather fond of you, little witch, and I know Thor is already partial to your needs.” His eyes rested on her blue gown softly. She turned and looked at the opulent embroidery which really seemed to do it for him for some reason. “I have no problem taking your case to him on your behalf. I’m certain he would be willing to arrange something to your liking.”

Darcy took this in. “But you don’t think we’ll have to? You’re happy to be locked in this garden with me every winter?” she asked and he smiled wickedly, “For a time, yes.” But then grew serious. “I will not abandon you Darcy. I promise.”

He pulled something from one of his inter-dimensional pockets, and Darcy mused that this must be where Hela got her unique abilities from. She was so distracted by the path that thought took her on that she failed to notice that he had appeared next to her in her workshop. He held in his hand an apple, shining golden in the winter light streaming through the window. “This will start us on our journey, Darcy Lewis.”

She nodded, took the apple, and bit into it, not knowing precisely what the future held, but somehow up for it anyway.  If that wicked grin he was sporting was any measure of anything, it would certainly be a wild ride.

 

**Author's Note:**

> as it's my habit to give fic recs in the notes, if you're interested in fics that include Loki's children Moosepelheim is in the midst of a fic with seriously jaw droppingly good characterisations of Fenrir, Jormungand and Hela. ironically it is also a play on the hades/persephone myth. the fic is a delightful ironfrost called [Hel is other people](http://archiveofourown.org/works/8244553/chapters/18892516) and the worldbuilding has honestly become some of my favourite on this site. so good. Loki and Tony's relationship in it is also fucking great with hilarity and angst and awkwardness and honestly I really recommend it.


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